Till we meet again
by TheLittle MissVixen
Summary: Alternative ending to "Our last summer"
1. I'll be back in your arms

**Hey!**

**Happy new year everybody! Hope you're doing okay and that you received tons of gifts in Christmas :D**

**I know I said I wouldn't be posting any new stories, which I'm not but after Reading "Our last summer" again I just realized what a sad and heart breaking ending it had, and since I'm a sucker for happy endings I decided to write an alternative version for it. If you liked the chapter already then don't read this, buuuut If you like happy endings, well I think you will find this one to be a little bit less sad.**

**Thanks a lot to Lorena who corrected this for me, and read it and was happy about it because she loves happy endings ending as well (though it's not really a happy ending but just a little bit less sad then the other one) **

**This is two-chapters short story and I really hope you enjoy it :D **

**Love,**

**Sam**

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><p>So here we stand in our secret place<br>With a sound of the crowd so far away  
>And you take my hand and it feels like home<br>We both understand it's where we belong  
>So how do I say? Do I say goodbye?<br>So let's take tonight  
>To carry us through the lonely times<p>

**Queen of my heart –Westlife-**

_**.**_

_I woke up to the feeling of someone snuggling against me; arms were locked around my waist and a mouth was pressing kisses to the side of my neck. I blinked slowly and tried to assort the situation at hand. _

"_I know you're awake" A voice I never expected to hear again said. My eyes filled with tears and a lump appeared on my throat as I turned around to see the handsome face of my boyfriend._

"_You're here" I whispered in awe as I stroked the side of his face, his eyes closed and a smirk started to form on his lips_

"_Where else would I be?" He answered in that smooth voice that made me weak on the knees. _

"_You were gone" I say as the tears start falling from my eyes "You died and you… you weren't here anymore" He smiles sadly at me and then gathers me in his arms._

"_I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart" He whispers against my hair _

"_You promise?" I say while looking at him between my tears "I don't think I can live without you, Damon, I really can't"_

_He presses a soft kiss to my lips and then whispers "I'll never leave you, Elena" I can feel his breath against my lips as he speaks "I'll always be here with you…even if you can't see me"_

"Elena… Elena…" I can hear someone calling me but I don't want to open my eyes. I'm not sure what's happening or who's calling me. It's not Damon's voice and that's confusing because we were talking just seconds ago. I don't understand…all I know is that I want to stay here in this place…with the darkness surrounding me "Elena" The voice is louder now

I force my eyes open and I find Jenna's worried gaze fixed on me "Baby, it's almost ten…the ceremony will start in half an hour…you need to get ready"

"Ceremony?" I'm not sure what's she's saying. What ceremony? Is there an event Damon forgot to mention….Damon…Oh no. The traces of sleep start leaving me. Oh God no. Damon. "It was a dream"

"What?" Jenna asks with a confused look in her eyes

"Oh my God it was just a dream" I choke out as the sobs start taking control of my body. He isn't here, Damon isn't here. He died. He died. He died. I can't breathe, I feel like I can't breathe. "He's not here Jenna"

Understanding appears in her eyes as the tears appear there too. She wraps her arms around me as I continue crying. I don't think I'll be able to survive this, I know I promised him I would be okay but I don't think that's possible. How can I be okay when he's not here?

I don't know how much time we stay like this but after a while I feel another pair of arms around me and between my tears I see that it's Jeremy. He's comforting me too. I loved them for taking care of me but I really don't think I can make it this time. I feel like something is eating me whole and I'm not sure if I'll be able to fight it.

_The morning was a cold one. I've never been colder in my entire life. It isn't just the weather; it is everything inside of us that seems to be frozen. Even though his friends had left a few hours before his death they had no problem in coming back, almost the entire town showed up. _

_I spent the entire time perched onto Jeremy, his arms circling me as I looked around and saw the devastation on everyone's face. There was absolutely no doubt that Damon was loved in this town. Seeing everyone here saying goodbye to him was something that will forever live in my memory. Jenna cried silently next to me while Alaric hugged her. Sometimes I seem to forget that she met Damon even before me. I felt so numb like everything inside of me had died with him._

_My heart broke all over again when I saw Genevieve and Stefan, there were no words to describe the pain on their faces. They seemed hollow, like all the life had been sucked out of them. And I guess in a way it had been. Seeing them I knew that the same pain was reflected on my face. I had no idea how any of us was going to move forward._

_"I loved Damon my entire life. I can't… "Stefan took a deep breath before starting again "I cannot remember a time when I didn't love him or looked up to him. During my entire life I've only wanted to be like him" Stefan was the only brave enough to climb to the stand and talk about Damon today. The rest of us… we couldn't even speak without shattering into pieces. "I remember when I was a little boy and he snuck up into my bedroom to read comic books, I was grounded but he risked upsetting mom and dad because that was the kind of person he was. Brave. Loyal. Always there for the people he loved. And he loved deeply and was loved just the same in return. We're all sad that he's not here anymore, broken; many of us don't know how we're going to move forward. But a part of me is also relived. Because he's not in pain anymore" Stefan choked up on the last word as the tears started to fall from his eyes. My heart breaking with every word he said "I feel relived because I know he's at peace now. And it's okay to feel sad, it's okay to be devastated but we also must be happy. Because he was happy, he was a happy man. And there's nothing better than a life lived at the fullest. So, brother, please save me a seat" _

_The entire place had burst into tears at Stefan speech, and really no one could blame them. He spoke directly from his heart and while doing so it had touched ours. I wanted to believe what he said, that Damon was now at peace. That in dying he finally found the relief he longed for, that he wasn't in pain anymore, but nothing, even those thoughts could do something for the aching in my heart. I just wished he would have taken me with him. _

_"I'm sorry" I whispered when I got close to them. Genevieve hugged me tightly while she cried _

_"I'm never going to be able to thank you enough, Elena" She whispered against my hair "You gave him love and happiness… you loved him…he died a happy man because of you" We stayed like that for what felt like hours. I had lost the love of my life but I couldn't imagine what she must be feeling. She lost her son. Her loved son. _

I spent the entire night crying. And the one after that. And the one after that. I think I cried every night of that first week, but it didn't get better. People always said time heals all wounds but I disagree, mine wasn't going to heal. It was never going to stop aching.

"Elena?" I heard the soft voice of my best friend but I refused to open my eyes. I just wanted to be left alone. Can't anyone understand that? I don't need people hovering over me every five seconds.

My eyes were still closed but I felt her entering the room. I heard her take a deep breath and then sit on the bed right next to me "It's been almost two months, Lena" She whispered. God, two months? It still felt like it was yesterday, but Caroline was right, we were in early December. Christmas would be here soon and Damon would not enjoy it this year.

"I worry about you" She said in a whisper "You've been feeling sick lately and truth be told you look like shit" She said and I could hear the hint of a smile "Jenna is worried too, she doesn't want you to get sick"

"I'm all right" I muttered and cracked open an eye. Her worried blue eyes stared at me with compassion and sadness. Sometimes I forget that I'm not the only person in this equation. I'm not the only one who's suffering.

"I don't think you're sick" She stated "I think it's something else…" Her expression made me curious so I finally opened both my eyes and sat straight on the bed. I removed my hair from my face and was conscious of how awful I must look.

"What are you talking about Caroline?"

She placed a paper bag on my lap and closed her eyes tightly while I unwrapped the content. I couldn't help the gasp that left my lips the moment I saw the content inside. A pregnancy test. "Please don't hate me" Caroline said with fear in her words and I cursed mentally. Was I being so bitchy to people that they actually feared talking to me?

"I'm not mad Care…but I don't think this is right" I whispered while giving her a sympathetic look

"Thinking about it Lena, all the symptoms you've been having… when was the last time you had your period?"

"I don't… I can't remember" I whispered honestly.

I've been so focused on my pain and losing Damon that I haven't thought much about anything else. I could barely remember to eat these days. But now that Caroline was mentioning it… I haven't had my period in a while… since before Damon died… could my friend be right?

"Please just take the test Elena… we must know" She looked at me with a troubled look and I was sure mine was the same. What would I do if this test was positive? ...what would I do if this test was negative? I can feel something creeping into me…excitement, confusion, fear. I don't really know what it is but it's making me feel alive for the first time since his death.

"And I brought a couple more…just to be sure" She pulled out three more tests out of her purse and I couldn't help but laugh at her. It was the first time I laughed in two months.

Ten minutes later we were standing still, staring at the four pregnancy tests, all in different presentations. Our eyes were glued to the bathroom sink where they were placed. "How much longer?" I asked

"Just thirty seconds" She answered

The longest thirty seconds of my life. So many things passed through my mind in that little space of time, fear because I really had no idea how I was going to handle being a mom at eighteen, sadness because if the result was negative I would never have that part of Damon, hope because maybe everything was going to be okay.

"Times up, we can look now" My blonde friend said and I walked closer towards the sink.

"Holy shit" I muttered. There they were. The four of them staring at me. With different signs of positive winking at me from the distance.

"Holy shit" Caroline muttered as well.

There was no doubt now, I was indeed pregnant. I was having Damon's baby. In that moment all the fear disappeared from my body, there was only excitement, joy. The baby with the blue eyes I pictured a long time ago was now a reality.

I was having a baby.

And I finally felt alive again.

_**This memory will last for eternity  
>And all of our tears will be lost in the rain<br>When I've found my way back to your arms again**_


	2. This memory will last for eternity

Hey!

The final part is now here, thanks for reading and I really hope you like the way I decided to write this.

Thanks a lot to Lorena for being so cool an amazing and being the beta for this.

Love you guys so much!

-Sam-

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><p><strong>So let's take tonight and never let go<strong>  
><strong> While dancing we'll kiss like there's no tomorrow<strong>  
><strong> As the stars sparkle down like a diamond ring<strong>  
><strong> I'll treasure this moment t<strong>**ill we meet again**

**But no matter how far or where you may be**  
><strong> I just close my eyes and you're in my dreams<strong>  
><strong> And there you will be until we meet<strong>

.

_The news about the baby made everyone beyond happy, I was waiting for a long speech about responsibility from Jenna or Alaric but not even they could hide their excitement of knowing I was having Damon's baby. It was kind of weird actually, I had never seen anyone so happy about a teen pregnancy. _

_I remember when I first told Genevive and Stefan, he had cried while a big smile appeared on his face and she held me for what felt like hours. I knew that nothing in the world could make them happier at the moment than the knowledge that a part of Damon was still going to be in their lives. _

_And as for me, well this baby gave me the strength I needed. I knew that I had to stay strong and healthy because of it, I couldn't let myself get depressed or continue watching life pass me by, I had to get through this because now I had someone else to fight for. And that knowledge gave me strength to get up from the bed every morning. _

_People on the street looked at me with pity, with sadness in their eyes. I was the poor girl whose boyfriend had died and now would have to raise a baby on her own. But they didn't get it. __Seeing us, two love-struck teenagers you never would have thought it would be something that lasted beyond a summer or even a few years. But I knew better, Damon had been my one true love, my heart knew it, my soul knew it. I never loved anyone like I did him, and even now the strength of that love was what kept me moving. I would never regret taking care of this baby on my own; I knew I was blessed with the chance of having him in the first place._

_Christmas was one of the hardest moments but together we managed to somehow make it okay and it somehow hurt less not having him; I had blended into that family so much that it felt as if they were my own. And during those times I even locked myself in Damon's room for a while. His bed no longer smelled like him and the knowledge that that scent was lost forever was enough to shatter the remains of my heart. _

_Soon a new year begun and things started to turn a little bit brighter. I spent the first few months hanging out with Jeremy, Caroline and Stefan. Bonnie, Tyler and Matt came as often as they could and we would all get together in the falls. It was as if we were all healing together and we were so grateful for each other's company and support. We spent many afternoons talking about Damon and the memories we had of him but there were also those other times when we wouldn't talk about him at all. I loved those people so much; being with them was so great but at the same time it was painful, it was a very bittersweet feeling. _

_With every month that passed the changes in my body kept amazing me, every time the baby moved inside me I could feel my heart exploding with joy, people had stuffed me with all kinds of presents, and since we found out that I was having a baby girl Caroline had made it her life's mission to get everything the baby could possibly need or want._

_I wanted to take another year before entering college since the baby would still be very little when classes begin but everyone had convinced me not to. They didn't want me to put my education on hold and everyone had showed themselves very eager to take care of the baby while I was at school and stuff like that. I must mention that I had the most amazing support system a girl could ask for. They all wanted to be a part of this baby's life. _

_So after enough nagging from Alaric's part I took my application to the local university and made a call to Brown, letting them know I wouldn't be joining them this semester either, or ever. I had a new dream now, going to Brown was the dream of the old Elena, the one who didn't knew about loss or pain. The one who didn't know about unconditional love. _

_I had realized that I couldn't leave Mystic Falls, this little town had turned into my home, mom always said that it was a magical place and she was right, there was magic in this place. I wanted my daughter to grow up here, surrounded by memories of her father, of people who loved him and would love her too. _

I wrap the blanket around me more tightly. The air is starting to get cold, just like it does every October in Mystic Falls. I get up and go back inside the house to leave the glass of tea I was drinking on the table. I want to take a walk and I figure I should do it while the sun is still in the sky.

_My baby girl was born on a hot night in May after a ten hour delivery, the moment she opened her blue eyes I knew everything in the world was going to be okay, I cried while holding her for the first time and I cried while holding her every day for a week. I couldn't believe that something so perfect could be mine. That Damon and I had created something so beautiful. I named her Lux, because that was what she was for me, the light that casted away the shadows in my life. She gave me the strength to keep living. _

_To say she was the most spoilt and loved girl in the world was an understatement, since the moment she was born everyone was enchanted with her and as she grew older they could do nothing against her utter charm, she was after all her father's daughter, and with each passing day she looked more and more like him. Stefan and Caroline were head over heels in love with her, always taking her to places and showing her new things. Genevive was the loving grandmother who always read her stories and prepared sweet treats for her. Jeremy and Ric were the over protective men in her life, always being too careful with her and Jenna was the cool aunt who always had a piece of advice for her. _

_Lux loved when everyone came to visit us, she loved our nights at the falls when the guys told stories about Damon and about the summer nights full of laughter and jokes, she loved her times in her grandmother's house when we sat next to the fireplace and watched movies, she loved those weekends that consisted of fun little trips with Jenna and Ric. She loved her family and the extended people that came along with her and they all loved her. _

I stop in front of a tree and tears appear in my eyes. The mark is still visible, damaged by time but I can still trace it with my fingers. Our initials. Damon had carved it on here one morning of that summer. I kneel in front of it and let the sobs take hold of my body. It still hurts so much; I don't think the pain will ever go away.

_I really liked the way my life turned out, I had some amazing experiences while growing up, met some very good people and I did become one of the 'cool teachers'. I loved my students; there was nothing I loved the most than being in front of a group of young people, the idea that I was helping them to find their place in the world was a wonderful feeling. I guess that in a way you could say that I reached everyone of my dreams. Well, I never published a book but after a while I realized that I liked writing for the sake of it, I didn't want to share my stories with the world, I just wanted them to be mine. _

_I left Mystic Falls when I was twenty-six after Caroline, Stefan and Genevive decided to move to Seattle because of Stefan's work and Jenna and Ric moved a few months ago to Ric's hometown in Colorado. So I moved with Jeremy to NYC. Of course that didn't stop people from coming over all the time, and every year on the anniversary of Damon's birthday we would all come back to Mystic Falls and get together in the falls to share stories about him and just to simply be together again. _

_Life was really good for me. It gave me the most beautiful moments and some amazing people, like Ryan._

_I met him when I was twenty nine. He was the music teacher in the school I worked in, since the minute I saw him something in his eyes told me he was the one. That he would always protect me and never hurt me and I had been right, I knew he would be good to Lux and that he would care for her as his own daughter. I wasn't wrong. _

_He was a divorced thirty three year old man with a child of his own, sweet, responsible, handsome, gentle and I loved him very much. We married two years after meeting and divorced ten years later. There were no resentments between us, no bitter feelings, we had made each other very happy during the time we were together and until this date we were still very good friends. And never during all that time had I ever told him about Damon. He is a part of me that I didn't want to share with him. He was and forever will be only mine. _

The tears were still falling from my eyes but now in a more controlled way. I rest my head against the tree and take a deep breath. How was it possible that after all this time I still felt the same amount of love for this man? A part of me always thought that with time his memory would vanish but that didn't happen. Till this day I can still remember even the smell of him. How I wished things had been different. That life hadn't denied us of that chance of being together.

I stay here until the darkness starts to descend and I know it's time to go. I start walking back to the house with heavy steps. In every corner of the town a memory hits me, and I see him standing casually next to his blue Camaro while waiting for me to come out of the library, I see him helping his mom carry the bags in the grocery shop, messing around with the guys at the town square and when I'm in front of the house I see him sitting with me in the porch, looking at the stars and telling me sweet words, I see his smirk and his bright blue eyes and the tears hit me once again. I stay still and admire the front, it's slightly different but still holds its charm, its familiarity. When I heard that the house was on sale I knew I had to buy it, it was time. If there was a place where I wanted to spend my last years it was here. In his house.

Lux wanted me to stay with her in New York, she was often worried about me. I had developed a serious heart condition over the last few years and she didn't think that the idea of me living alone was a good one but she couldn't understand the need I had to come back to this place. She had her own family now, a great husband that loved her so much and a beautiful baby boy who was the sunshine of her days. But New York was too fast paced for me now. I wanted to be in a quiet place. Here I was finally at peace.

I went inside the house and calmed myself down before calling my daughter. I had promised to do it earlier but I had lost track of time. We had a brief chat, and she asked me how I was doing and if the house was okay; she also informed me that she would arrive tomorrow in the afternoon. She had insisted in helping me move so she and her husband were coming to help me unpack the heavy things. That girl, she has the biggest heart, always putting other people before her, a treat she got from her father.

I prepare myself an early dinner before deciding it is time to go to bed. It had been an exhausting day and at my fifty one years I no longer have the emotional strength I had when I was a teenager. I feel so very tired.

I climb the stairs and change my clothes in the bathroom. Then I walk through the hallway and open the door to my new room. It looks different but as I walk inside thousands of memories rush back to me. Memories of beautiful moments spent in this bedroom. I smile slightly as I feel my heart warming with the images in my head. The new bed is placed in the exact spot his used to be. I feel the tiredness invading my body so I lay down slowly while his face is still swirling inside my head. I close my eyes as the images of that summer start to appear once again, as if I was watching a movie. Then the darkness starts taking over and I feel so tired.

**_Elena Gilbert closed her eyes with a smile, unknown to her, her heart had started beating a little bit slower than normal. But she would not realize this because the peace was finally appearing after so many years. She no longer felt sad or tired. _**

**_She gasped as a smile formed on her lips again "It's you" She whispered, her eyes still closed "I knew you'd wait for me" She murmured before taking her last breath. And just like that Elena Gilbert was no longer a part of this world._**

**No matter how many years it takes**  
><strong>I'll give it all to you<strong>


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